Agitator.



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PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

P, W. GowAN.-

AGITATOR. PPLIoATIoN num :uns 2o. 190s.

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W/TNESSES:

Troie/V5 Ys FRANK W. GOWAN, OF SOMERSET, WISCONSIN.

AGITATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April so, 1 9707.

Application filed June 20, 1906. Serial NO. 322,626.

To all wh/0771, t ntftjl/ concern: p

Be it known that I, FRANK IV. GowAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Somerset, in the county of St. Croix and State ofIVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Agitator, ol which the'following is a specilication.

This invention has relation to agitators and it consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of its parts as hereafter shown anddescribed.

"he object of the invention is to provide an agitator especially adaptedto be used for stirring curd while cooking or 'lirming as heat is beingapplied to the same. may be used for other purposes.

rl he invention consists primarily of a frame which is adapted toreciprocate over a vat containing the curd. Suitably journaled in saidframe is a dasher which enters,

the vat and is provided with two wings which are set at an angle to eachother. As the dasher is reeiproeated, it is also swung upon its axis andthe wings are consequently moved up and down through the material in thevat. '.lhus the entire body or' material located in the vat isthoroughly worked including such material as may be at the ends of thevat or in the corners olt the same. The curd is evenly distributed andis worked vertically in the vat and longitudinally of the same. Thedasher operating mechanism and frame reciprocating' mechanism is alsolocated upon the 'frame and is operatively connected with the parts inorder to produce the movements as intimated.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a top plan view of anagitator. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the samewith parts in section. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a-lever mechanism usedin the agi tator. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of' the dasher with partsbroken away. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the pivots of thedasher and adjacent parts. Fig. 6 is an edge elevation el the dasheractuating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view o'f one sideof the upper portion ol the agitator.

This agitator is adapted to be used on a vat of ordinary construction inwhich the m aterial is contained. Such vats are usually oblong inhorizontal section and they vary in width. Consequently the agitator ismade adjustable in order to be applied to vats of di'flerent width.

The agitatorV Frame. The frame consists of the U- shaped members 1, 1the intermediate portions oi which are adapted to pass over thelongitudinal edges of the vat 2 while the ends extend across the saidvat, the ends or' one member approximately meeting the ends of theopposite member substantially at the middle of the vat. The ends of thesaid members 1, 1 ht into the sleeves 3, 3 and the said sleeves areprovided with the elongated openings 4 which receive the set screws 5, 5carried by the ends of the members 1. It will thus be seen that bymanipulating the set screws 5 that the opposite members 1, 1 may bemoved laterally with relation to each other and through the sleeves 3secured to each other at such proper relation as to comply with thewidth of an ordinary vat 2. The track rails 6, 6 are secured to theouter sides ol" the vat 2. The outer sides of the intermediate portionsoi the members 1 are provided with suitably journaled wheels 7, 7 whichrun upon the track rails 6, 6. Thus the frame is supported upon the vat.The motor 8 is located upon one o'l the frame members 1 and iselectrically connected with a suitable generator (not shown). The yoke 9is attached or extends 'from the outer side of the intermediate portionof the frame member 1 upon which the motor S is located. Said yoke isprovided with the bracket 10 which is located substantially midwaybetween the ends of the yoke 9 and extends tow ard the vat.

The bearing 11 is located upon the intermediate portion ol one ol' theframe members 1. The bearing 12 is located upon the bracket 1() and isopposite the said bearing 11. The bearings 13, 13 are located inalinement at the lower edge of the member 10. The ends of the yoke 9 areprovided with the alined bearings 14, 14 and the inner end of thebracket 1() is provided with the transversely extending bearing 15 whichis in alinement with the bearings 14, 14. The bearing 16 is located toone side of the center of the intermediate portion of the 'frame member1 and bearing 17 is located at the end of the yoke 9 and is in alinementwith the bearing 16. The post 1S is located upon the intern'iediateportion of the 'frame member 1 between the bearings 11 and 16. Thebracket 19 is attached to the said intermediate portion and is locatedopposite the said post 18. The said bracket is provided with a IOO IIO

-' to one of the frame members 1.

bearing which is in alinement with the bearing of post 18 and the saidbracket is also provided with a bearing 21 which is located below thebearing 20.

I All of the bearings above described are located upon or connected withparts attached The intermediate portion of the opposite frame member 1is provided with a bearing 22 which is in alinement with the bearing 21of bracket 19. The outer side of the yoke 9 is provided with the post 23the upper end of which is bifurcated as at 24 and the bearing 25 ispivoted between said bifurcations. ,The said bearing 25 is adapted tomaintain alinement with the center of the core of motor 8.

Bashar. The. dasher consists of the alined shaft members 26, 26. Theinner ends of said members lit within the collar 27 and are held inplace therein by means of the set screws 28. rl`he outer ends of saidshaft members 26 enter the collars 29. Said collars 29 are provided withthe squared shoulders 30. lt will thus be seen that the said shaftmembers 26 may be adjusted longitudinally with relation to each otherand secured in proper osition by means of the set screws 28 carrie byintermediate collar 27. The collars 27 and 29 are provided with thedepending lugs 31 and 32.

The dasher proper consists of two leaves of similar construction and adescription of one will answer for the other. are secured to the lugs 31and 32 and extend at an angle to each other. Each leaf consists of thebars 33 which are provided with the alined perforations 34. rlhe sleevesare retained in the perforations 34 of the intermediate bar 33. The rods36 pass' through the perforations 34 of the outer bars 33 and at theirinner ends enter the sleeves 35. The strips 37 lare located in suitableperforations provided at the ends of the bars 33,

said strips overlapping each other in the perforations of theintermediate bar 33. It will thus be seen that by means of the sleeves35 and the overlapping ends of the strip 37 that as the shaft members26, 26 are adjusted laterally, that the sections of bars 36 and strips37 are correspondingly adjusted.

The socket members 38 are provided with squared recesses 39 whichreceive the squared shoulders 30 of the sleeves 29. Said sockets 38 areprovided with the lugs 40 which receive between them the enlarged ends41. One of each set of lugs 40 is provided with a set screw 42 whichpasses through the lug and is adapted to engage the enlarged end 41. Itwill thus be seen that the said socket members 38 may be adjusted alongthe enlarged ends 41. One of the enlarged ends 41 is provided with a pin43 which enters and rocks in the bearing 22. The opposite enlarged end41 isV provided with a pin 44 which enters and rocks in the bearing 2l.The gear-wheel 45 .gear wheel 50 is fixed to the said shaft.

The said leaves.

is located on the pin 44. The intermediate bail portions 46 are attachedat their downwardly' extending ends to the enlarged ends 41. The upperends of said bail portions 46 extend toward eachother and are located inthe sleeve 47 and are secured therein by means of the set screws 48. Byreason of the sleeve 47 and the set screws 48 the said bail members 48may be adjusted laterally with relation to each other at the same timethat the shaft members 26 are so adjusted. The object of providing meansfor laterally adjusting the parts is to accommodate the dasher to thewidth of the vat. By providing means for vertically adjusting the dashermembers with relation to the supporting pins, the said dasher mayaccommodate the depth of the vat. It is also obvious that the shaftmembers 26 and their attachments may be lifted out of the sockets 38 andremoved from the vat without disturbing other parts of the device. Thisis desirable when the contentsof the vat are to be removed.

Operating mechanism. The shaft 49 is journaled in the bearings 14, 14and 15. The The motor shaft 51 is j ournaled at its outer end in thebearing 25.l The worm gear 52 is located at an intermediate portion ofthe said shaft 51. The iiy-wheel 53 is located upon the said shaft 51.The gear wheel 50 meshes with the worm gear 52. The beveled gear wheels54 are loosely mounted upon the shaft 49. Said gear wheels 54 areprovided with the clutch collars 55. The clutch members 56 are featheredupon the shaft 49 and are adapted to be slipped in order to engage anddisengage the clutch collars 55. Vhen one clutch member 56 is inengagement with its clutch collar 55, the other member 56 is 4out ofengagement with its clutch collar and vice versa. The non-rotating rings57 are located upon the clutch members 56. Saidrings 57 are providedwith the lugs 58. The outer ends of the links 59-are pivotally attachedto the lugs 58. The inner ends of said links 59 are pivoted to therocker 60. Said rocker 60 is pivoted upon the exterior of the bearing12. The crank arm 61 is ournaled in the bearings 13, 13 and to the outercrank end of said arm 61 is xed the weight 62. The pins 63 are locatedon the outer side of the yoke 9 in the path of the crank end of theshaft 61 and are adapted to limit the rocking or swinging movement ofthe said shaft. The disk 64 is fixed to the inner end of the shaft 61.The dog 65 is pivoted to the disk 64 and is provided with the bifurcatedend 66. The lower end of the rocker60 is located between thebifurcations 66 of the dog 65. rlhe'lower end of the dog is bent at anangle 67. The stops 68, 68 are adjustably attached to the side of thetrack rail 6 or to the side of the vat 2 and are located in the path ofthe bend 67. The gear bar 69 is IOO vlixed to the side of the track 6and extends parallel with the same. The sha'lft 70 is journaled in thebearings 11 and 12. The gearwheel 71 is iixed to the shaft 70 and mesheswith the gear of bar 69. The bevel gear wheel 72 is also Vlixe-d to theshalt 7() and is adapted to be in mesh with either' of the gearwheels54, 54 on the shaft 49.

The mechanism so lar described is adapted to propel the agitator backand-forth over the vat. As the shaft 51 of the motor S rotates, the wormgear 52 meshing with the wheel 50 rotates the shaft 49, one of theclutch members 56 being in engagement with one clutch collar 55, theadjacent bevel gear wheel 54 is turning oppositely with the shaft whilethe opposite gear wheel 54 is turning upon the shaft 49 but in theopposite direction. The gear wheel 54 that is turning with the shaft 49rotates the bevel gear wheel 72, shaft 79 and gear wheel 71 in onedirection, the gear wheel 71 being in mesh wth the gear ofthe bar 69 andsaid bar being stationary, the agitator moves toward one end of the vat2 until the bend 67 strikes the stop 68. Vhen this occurs, the said bend67 is moved longitudinally and through the dog 65, the disk 64 describesa partial rotation. The shaft 61 being attached to the said disk alsodescribes such a rotation and the weight 62 is elevated and when thecrank end of the sha'lt 61 assumes a vertical position, the weight 62 is1ried over said vertical line and by gravity falls until the end of theshaft 61 strikes the lug 63 located on the side of the yoke 9, it beingunderstood that the lug 63 is located opposite to the said lug fromwhich the said crank end of the shalt 61 is removed. In the meantime thebiturca# tions 66 of the dog 65 carry the lower end of the rocker aroundand consequently the links 59 are moved longitudinally and through therings 57, the clutch members 56 are moved along the shaft 49 and thegear wheel 54 which has heretofore been rotating with said shaft isreleased and the opposite gear wheel 54 is fixed to the shaft and causedto rotate with the same. Thus the rotary movement of the bevel wheel 72is reversed and the bevel gear wheel 71 moves back over the gear rack 69in the opposite direction. lhen the opposite end of the gear rack 69 isreached, the operation above described is repeated and thus theagitator' is caused to automatically reciprocate back and vforth overthe edge of the vat. The dasher leaves being submerged in the contentsof the vat, the said contents are worked longitudinally of the vat.

The bevel gear wheel 7 3 is lived te the end of the shaft 49. The shaft74 is ournaled in the bearings 16 and 17. The bevel gear wheel 75 isiixed to the shaft 74 and meshes with the bevel gear wheel 73. The disk76 l l l is fixed to the end el the shalt 74. The link 77 is pivoted atone end to the said disk 76 and is pivotally attached at its other endto the lower end of the rocker arm 7 8. Said rocker arm is fixed to therocker shaft 79 which in turn is journaled in the bearing 20 and postbearing 1S. The gear segment S0 is Vlixed to the shalt 79 and mesheswith the gear wheel 45. It will thus be seen that as the shaft 49rotates, the shalt 74 through gear wheels 7 3 and 75 is rotated as isalso its attached disk 76. The link 77 moves longitudinally and rocksthe lower end of the arm '78 which in turn rocks the shalt 79. The gearsegment S0 is gyrated back and lorth which in turn partially rotates thegear wheel 45 with which it is in mesh. rl`he pins 44 and 43 arecorrespomlingly turned in the bearings 21 and 22 and the dasher is givena rocking movement at the same time that it is reciprocated back andl'orth in the vat.

The rocking movement above described as being imparted to the dashercauses the movement thereof to move u'p` and down through the liquidcontained within the vat and consequently said liquid is workedvertically at the same time that it is being worked horizontally.

Having thus described .my invention, what 1 claim new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. An agitator adapted to be applied to avat comprising a frame, means l'or adjusting said frame transversely ofthe vat, a prime mover mounted upon the frame, and a dasher carried bythe lrame.

2. An agitator adapted to be applied to a vat comprising a l'rame, aprime mover located upon the Vtrame and actuating the same, a dasherattached to the iframe, and means for adjusting said dasher transverselyol" the vat.'

3. An agitator adapted to be applied to a vat, a l'rame having means lorreciprocating the same over a vat, a dasher attached to the frame andadapted to swing in the vat and having leaves pitched at an angle toeach other, seid leaves having horizontal reds and means lor adjustingsai-:l rods longitudinally.

4. An agitator adapted to be applied to a vat consisting of a ira-.mehaving means adapted to reciprecrde the same over the vat, a dasherattached to the l'rame and adapted to enter the vat, dasher wingsadapted to be verti ally adjusted within. the vat, and means lieradjusting the dasher Aframe and wings transversely.

In testimony that l claim the Aforegoing as my own, I have heretoallixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses:

FRAN K W'. GOWTAN.

itnesses:

FRED L. HANSEN, BEN LAvAnnn.

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